


A Compelling Reason

by gaymusicians (benjaminschiffplatt)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Character Study, F/M, bruce is you, i dont even ship this why, im ashamed of the length, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 02:45:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4002865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benjaminschiffplatt/pseuds/gaymusicians
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce reflects on what may become.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Compelling Reason

**Author's Note:**

> Wow thank u for reading my trash ideas, please enjoy~

She's changed.  
All her edges, rough corners that cut jagged wounds with her words, they've smoothed. The hard sharpness of her has been conquered by roundness and something akin to fragility.  
The bite to her is gone, stinging jabs and insults replaced with a grace and beauty that adds to her aura of mystery. You aren't sure if this is a good thing. It hasn't been proven bad quite yet, but Clint looks at her with a wariness that wasn't there before and your mind wanders to what may have catalyzed this change in personality.  
You almost hope it's you.  
How wonderful, to be the reason she smiles softly and offers gentle words to her friends after years of distrust. Clint may be confused, as is everyone else staying in the tower, but you like it.

She stays in your room sometimes. Nothing inappropriate, not with Stark around anyway, but just sleeping, if even that,  
You offer comfort to one another after a dark night tossing and turning in the sheets and you'll be fanned if you give that up, give up gentle caresses and soft lips to yours promising the moon in your palm. Sometimes you even believe her.  
Mostly, you stay up late talking. About yourselves, about your teammates, about anything but your pasts. When the topic is brought up you both change colors, she goes white while you go green, just for a moment before regaining control of yourself. Then you change topics like it never happened.

Every once in a while, when she's in her room and you're in your own, you feel something in your chest. It's not something you're used to, a fluttering and restless feeling in your chest. It doesn't settle, not for hours of tossing and turning, it hardly gives way to sleep and dreams, but the dreams wake you soon enough anyway. You always wish she were with you, she seems to center your gravity away from your restless heart and toward her slowly opening self. You hope she stays more often.

It's been two months, one week, and four days since you went down with stealth mode on. You've never been more alone, but at the same time it almost brings you peace, quiet. Almost.  
You toss and turn at night, crying out to no one and everyone at the same time. No one hears and no one is listening, not even trying, you're sure. Except for her. You like to think she cares enough to look, even for a moment. You don't get your hopes up. You tell yourself that no one cares and that everyone you know and love is better off without you getting in the way.

You see the Quinjet one day, pass you overhead and suddenly know that isn't true. You're going home, to the Tower, to the Avengers. You're going back to Nat.


End file.
